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Author Topic:   ALPHA.TXT and free market

Y posted 09-21-99 12:24 PM ET
How can I change the Free market SE settings to....maybe, +3 econ, -1 police, and -1 planet?
Schoop posted 09-21-99 01:56 PM ET
I don't think you can.
Besides, doing that SEVERELY unbalances Free Market.
Bubbe posted 09-21-99 02:08 PM ET
Y
In Alpha.txt in the bottom you can change al the SE settings.
But why this?
It will only help you since the AnonI cant take advantage of the SE properly.
Makes the game to easy IMHO.
Y posted 09-21-99 02:34 PM ET
IT was SEVERELY UNBALANCED in the first place. +2 econ, -5 police and -3 planet is unfair. What about +3 econ, -2 police, and -1 planet. That's balanced.
Raging Mouse posted 09-21-99 03:17 PM ET
Don't make the mistake of thinking that if the pluses and minuses cancel out, the setting is balanced. If you DO, try this cure: play a custom faction with -2 industry, -2 growth, +2 probe and +2 police.
Economy is a VERY powerful factor in the game; a small change makes a big impact. At the same time, negative police and planet can be worked around without too much of a sweat. So at least *I* don't think +3 ECON, -2 POLICE, and -1 PLANET is very balanced.
Velociryx posted 09-21-99 03:29 PM ET
I'd have to agree. In the course of the game, the three biggest SE factors are undoubtedly:
Growth (Population is one of the biggest factors in the game)
Industry (Try building even early secret projects quickly with an industry penalty)
and
Economy (the driving factor of research is energy, and cash on-hand represents ultimate flexability)
with Research not lagging terribly far behind those.
Early game, Support is a big deal, but by mid game (clean reactors) it ceases to be a factor.
Probe is cool, but not too strong on it's own, and a Probe penalty is only a nuisance at best (unless you're too lazy to build defensive probes).
Planet is okay, but you can make it work for you, positive or negative. If positive, it's a good way to generate an army without tying up your bases, and if negative, you attract worms, giving you a ready source of cash. Not bad, either way, really.
Police: Can be kinda cool in certain (non-market, non-cybernetic) situations. Good for drone control in a cash-poor society, but not good for much else. Negative police ratings never hurt Marketeers, as they've got the money to simply buy a new facility to solve the problem.
Did I leave anything out? LOL
-=Vel=-
TNSe posted 09-21-99 05:49 PM ET
Velociryx, what can I say .. other than that I agree.
TNSe
Bubbe posted 09-22-99 07:29 AM ET
The negative of FM is that it is a SE that needs a new way of playing.
With FM you need to realy have a masterplan and not just kneejerk playing.
To many units outside borders=Drones.
Air and Navalpower=Drones.
You realy need to work for you're money.
Dont we always
Once you get the hang of it it can esily be what makes Trancend games an easy win.
In removing penaltys thats there for a reason shows that you are a lazy player wanting to take shortcuts.
Stay at citisen difficulty instead.
MHO
Biddles posted 09-22-99 08:09 AM ET
If you are using Free Market during war than you must be crazy, IMHO. It is better to build up your army, switch over your SE to green or planned, attack, and then change back. If you time this right you can win a war quickly and get back to producing cold hard energy. (unless your taking on one of the leaders, whichcase you can make up your own strategy.)
As Raging Mouse already said, changing the economy values seriously unbalances the game. +2 = +1 energy per square while +3 = +1 energy per square AND +1 commerce, which can be quite a bit more energy if your playing this SE choice right.
-Biddles
Beta1 posted 09-22-99 12:04 PM ET
The answer to those FM drones are punishment spheres!!!
To maintain your standing army put a sphere in one of your production type cities then when you build a unit set its home base to that city. Then do what ever you like with it as you get no drones.
FM is a very powerfull choice you just know the way to play with it
Beta1 posted 09-22-99 12:06 PM ET
Why the hell do you want +3 econ anyway? Once you get to +2 the bonsuses are minimal
Schoop posted 09-22-99 12:21 PM ET
Good point, Beta. The only bonuses above +2 are like, +1 per base (big deal) and +1 commerce rating (which can be a big deal) I mean, having +3 or +4 Econ can be a great boon, but they're not as necessary as the critical +2 level.
Biddles posted 09-23-99 12:14 AM ET
+1 commerce (from +3 economy) can be quite a lot more energy when played right. If you have a lot of treaties and pacts and have enough bases to make use of these, than +1 commerce can greatly increase energy due to pacts and treaties.
-Biddles
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Author	Topic: ALPHA.TXT and free market
Y	posted 09-21-99 12:24 PM ET How can I change the Free market SE settings to....maybe, +3 econ, -1 police, and -1 planet?
Schoop	posted 09-21-99 01:56 PM ET I don't think you can. Besides, doing that SEVERELY unbalances Free Market.
Bubbe	posted 09-21-99 02:08 PM ET Y In Alpha.txt in the bottom you can change al the SE settings. But why this? It will only help you since the AnonI cant take advantage of the SE properly. Makes the game to easy IMHO.
Y	posted 09-21-99 02:34 PM ET IT was SEVERELY UNBALANCED in the first place. +2 econ, -5 police and -3 planet is unfair. What about +3 econ, -2 police, and -1 planet. That's balanced.
Raging Mouse	posted 09-21-99 03:17 PM ET Don't make the mistake of thinking that if the pluses and minuses cancel out, the setting is balanced. If you DO, try this cure: play a custom faction with -2 industry, -2 growth, +2 probe and +2 police. Economy is a VERY powerful factor in the game; a small change makes a big impact. At the same time, negative police and planet can be worked around without too much of a sweat. So at least I don't think +3 ECON, -2 POLICE, and -1 PLANET is very balanced.
Velociryx	posted 09-21-99 03:29 PM ET I'd have to agree. In the course of the game, the three biggest SE factors are undoubtedly: Growth (Population is one of the biggest factors in the game) Industry (Try building even early secret projects quickly with an industry penalty) and Economy (the driving factor of research is energy, and cash on-hand represents ultimate flexability) with Research not lagging terribly far behind those. Early game, Support is a big deal, but by mid game (clean reactors) it ceases to be a factor. Probe is cool, but not too strong on it's own, and a Probe penalty is only a nuisance at best (unless you're too lazy to build defensive probes). Planet is okay, but you can make it work for you, positive or negative. If positive, it's a good way to generate an army without tying up your bases, and if negative, you attract worms, giving you a ready source of cash. Not bad, either way, really. Police: Can be kinda cool in certain (non-market, non-cybernetic) situations. Good for drone control in a cash-poor society, but not good for much else. Negative police ratings never hurt Marketeers, as they've got the money to simply buy a new facility to solve the problem. Did I leave anything out? LOL -=Vel=-
TNSe	posted 09-21-99 05:49 PM ET Velociryx, what can I say .. other than that I agree. TNSe
Bubbe	posted 09-22-99 07:29 AM ET The negative of FM is that it is a SE that needs a new way of playing. With FM you need to realy have a masterplan and not just kneejerk playing. To many units outside borders=Drones. Air and Navalpower=Drones. You realy need to work for you're money. Dont we always Once you get the hang of it it can esily be what makes Trancend games an easy win. In removing penaltys thats there for a reason shows that you are a lazy player wanting to take shortcuts. Stay at citisen difficulty instead. MHO
Biddles	posted 09-22-99 08:09 AM ET If you are using Free Market during war than you must be crazy, IMHO. It is better to build up your army, switch over your SE to green or planned, attack, and then change back. If you time this right you can win a war quickly and get back to producing cold hard energy. (unless your taking on one of the leaders, whichcase you can make up your own strategy.) As Raging Mouse already said, changing the economy values seriously unbalances the game. +2 = +1 energy per square while +3 = +1 energy per square AND +1 commerce, which can be quite a bit more energy if your playing this SE choice right. -Biddles
Beta1	posted 09-22-99 12:04 PM ET The answer to those FM drones are punishment spheres!!! To maintain your standing army put a sphere in one of your production type cities then when you build a unit set its home base to that city. Then do what ever you like with it as you get no drones. FM is a very powerfull choice you just know the way to play with it
Beta1	posted 09-22-99 12:06 PM ET Why the hell do you want +3 econ anyway? Once you get to +2 the bonsuses are minimal
Schoop	posted 09-22-99 12:21 PM ET Good point, Beta. The only bonuses above +2 are like, +1 per base (big deal) and +1 commerce rating (which can be a big deal) I mean, having +3 or +4 Econ can be a great boon, but they're not as necessary as the critical +2 level.
Biddles	posted 09-23-99 12:14 AM ET +1 commerce (from +3 economy) can be quite a lot more energy when played right. If you have a lot of treaties and pacts and have enough bases to make use of these, than +1 commerce can greatly increase energy due to pacts and treaties. -Biddles